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THE STATION
Gabi had heard enough congratulations from everyone to last her a month. Ricardo had paraded her around the station introducing her as Mrs. Torres, as if no one knew his last name. They had been hugged and kissed by the entire SBPD and if Gabi heard "I’m so happy for you" one more time, she though she was going to scream. Ricardo was involved in a conversation with Spence, so Gabi decided to take a breather and headed outside. Standing under a tree, Gabi watched people strolling down the sidewalk hand in hand, laughing and kissing each other. She smiled at the happiness of an elderly couple walking by. They had probably been married for 50 years and yet they still held hands as they walked. Gabi envied what they had, what she would never have unless she gave herself completely to Ricardo. He had been incredibly patient with her since her release from the hospital, but she knew that her recovery excuse was wearing thin. Ricardo wanted to make love and in some small way, she did too. She had to start being a wife to him, a real wife. She would never be a wife to Antonio, and the sooner she learned to accept that, the better off she would be. Feeling not so refreshed from her breather, she walked back inside. As she climbed the steps, she felt a sharp pain in her belly. It disappeared as quickly as it came, but it took her breath for a brief moment. She clutched onto the railing and put her hand against her abdomen. When she caught her breath, she straightened up and went back to work. Her pain didn’t return. To celebrate their first day back at work, Gabi and Ricardo stopped for dinner on their way home. Ricardo was charming, sharing silly anecdotes and smiling at his wife. Gabi drank a few glasses of wine and Ricardo could see it was having an effect on her. He poured her another glass, which she promptly consumed despite her protestation. Ricardo helped her from her chair after dinner and she swayed slightly as she turned from the table. "Whoa," Ricardo laughed as he grabbed her arm. Gabi started to giggle in response to the alcohol. Ricardo ushered her out the door and they started down the street. Gabi leaned against him for support as Ricardo draped his arm around her shoulder. Every thought in her mind seemed funnier than the last as she cackled and howled all the way back to the loft. Ricardo started up the stairs and upon reaching the door, realized that Gabi was still at the landing. "Gabi," he called as she jerked her head up to him. "Are you coming up?" "Mmmm, actually," she slurred. "I wanna go for a walk." She threw off her shoes and headed to the beach. Ricardo sighed heavily and bounded back down the stairs. He caught up to her on the beach just before she pitched herself into the water. "Take it easy, Gab," he instructed her as he caught her around the waist. "Let’s go home." "No," she pouted as she placed her hands on her hips. "I don’t wanna go home." Ricardo suddenly regretted the large amount of wine he had pushed at her. "I wanna walk." Gabi extracted herself from his arm and took a step away. Her leg gave way underneath her and she fell forward face down in the sand. Ricardo bent over her and lifted her up into his arms as she draped her arms around his neck. "I love you," she gushed as she buried her face into his neck. Ricardo was enjoying the feel of her warm breath on his neck, but regretting the fact that she was too intoxicated for him to consummate their marriage tonight. He wanted to be sure she would remember it…every wonderful minute of it. He cursed himself for her condition as he carried her up the stairs and got her into bed. She passed out immediately and Ricardo went to take a cold shower. He left her in her clothes on top of the sheets. Gabi rolled over with the feeling of a thousand-pound weight sitting on her head. "Ugh," she moaned quietly as the sound reverberated in her ears. She sat up unsteadily clutching the side of the bed. The room was spinning and she felt the acid from her stomach rising in her throat. Throwing her hand over her mouth she sprinted into the bathroom. Ricardo chuckled to himself as he poured another cup of coffee. She had really tied one on last night and now she was going to pay. He checked his watch to find he was already running late. "Gabi," he knocked softly on the bathroom door. "I’m late for work. I’ll tell Chief Harris that you won’t be in today." Gabi threw up in response. "Call me if you need me." Ricardo turned and left her alone to her hangover. No aspirin, no let me hold your hair for you, no last look to make sure she hadn’t passed out on the floor. Gabi sat back against the wall as she willed the fish on the shower curtain to stop swimming so fast. Gabi had been hung over before, but never this violently sick. She threw up three more times before she was able to pull herself off the floor and stumble back to bed. As she lay down, she felt that same twisting, stabbing pain in her abdomen. She curled up in a ball and held her arm over her middle. Before she knew it, she was out like a light once again. THE STATION Antonio stepped toward Ricardo who was standing at the front desk writing out an arrest report. "Hey Ricardo." Ricardo lifted his head as a small smile crossed his lips. He couldn’t have planned it any better. "Hey, T. What’s going on?" Ricardo asked casually. "I was just visiting with a young parishioner who was arrested last night." Antonio glanced around the station. "Is Gabi around?" Ricardo felt his pulse rise at his brother’s boldness. "No," he said flatly. "She got really hammered last night and is probably sleeping it off right about now." Antonio was surprised; he hadn’t known Gabi to let herself get so out of control with drinking. "She was puking her guts up this morning when I left." "Have you called her? How is she now?" Antonio looked at the clock ... it was already 1:30. "Nah," Ricardo huffed. "I’m sure she’s fine now." Antonio found Ricardo’s indifference disturbing. "Do you think you should have left her alone if she was so sick?" He was worried about her. "What did you want me to do, T? Hold her head for her while she hugged the toilet." Ricardo was being crude and insensitive and it bothered Antonio immensely. "She’s your wife, Ricardo." Antonio replied, as if he needed to remind him. "I would think you would be a little more concerned." "She’s a big girl, Antonio. She can take care of herself." Ricardo said without emotion. "Besides, I didn’t force her to drink that much." Antonio shook his head at Ricardo. He wouldn’t have left her side if she was his...he stopped himself. She wasn’t his and that was the problem. "I have to go, Ricardo. Tell Gabi I hope she’s feeling better." Antonio walked away from Ricardo in disgust. After all Gabi had done for him in the last months...the way she devoted herself to his every need when he couldn’t do it for himself; feeding him, washing and dressing him, helping him go to the bathroom. He didn’t even care how she was doing. Ricardo watched Antonio leave and knew exactly what he was thinking. He laughed wickedly as he finished his report. THE LOFT Gabi slept until almost 5:00. Her head wasn’t pounding any more but her throat hurt from throwing up. She headed to the kitchen to get some water. She turned from the sink when the pain returned. It was so severe that the glass slipped out of her hand and shattered on the floor. Gabi bent over with a gasp as it felt like someone had her insides in a vice grip. She reached out to the table for support as the pain ebbed slowly. Something was wrong…definitely wrong and she had to find out what it was. She picked up the phone but there was no dial tone. She thought she heard breathing on the other end. "Hello?" Antonio’s voice called out. "Gabi?" "I’m here," she said haltingly. He must have been calling her just as she picked up the phone. "Hi Antonio." He could hear in her voice that something was not right. "Are you okay, Gabi? I was at the station today and Ricardo told me that you were sick." "Sick," she laughed. "I was hung over." The very word made her feel lightheaded. She made her way to the bed to lay down. "Really hung over." "That doesn’t sound like you, Gabi," he said in a very priestly tone. "Is everything okay?" "Yes," she said as she rolled her eyes at him. "Ricardo and I just went out to dinner last night and I got a little carried away with the wine." Antonio couldn’t help the twinge of jealousy he felt at the simple act of their dinner out. "I just drank too much too fast, that’s all." Gabi laughed out loud. "I think I almost went for a swim with my clothes on." Antonio chuckled. "Are you better now?" The concern in his voice was pure. "Yes," she replied with a smile. "Thank you for checking on me." "Your welcome," he said softly. Gabi felt another pain coming and wanted to get off the phone before it became unbearable. She didn’t want Antonio to overreact. "I have to go, Antonio. Thanks again." She hung up quickly as the pain seized her. Tears spilled from her eyes at the intensity. When she could manage, she climbed off the bed and got dressed. She grabbed her purse and headed out the door. THE STATION Ricardo dialed the loft but wasn’t surprised when Gabi didn’t answer. The machine picked up and he left a message. "Gabi, it’s me. I’m tied up at the station for a few more hours. I’ll see you when I get home." He didn’t ask how she was doing or where she was…it would be better if he acted like he didn’t care. He had a strange feeling she was visiting with a priest. THE MISSION Antonio sat at his desk twirling the pencil between his fingers. He wanted to pound Ricardo for the way he was treating Gabi. Didn’t he care about her health? He claimed to love her so much he couldn’t live without her and yet he treated her like dirt. Antonio fumed as he thought about how much he did love Gabi and how he would do anything for her. How could Ricardo take her for granted? Antonio snapped the pencil in two and tossed it onto his desk. He spun his chair around and stared out the window at the setting sun. He said a prayer that Gabi would be feeling better soon. THE CLINIC "But I got really drunk last night," Gabi admitted. "Really drunk." "It’s okay, Gabi." The doctor reassured her. "I threw up a bunch of times this morning. Pretty viciously." Gabi’s stomach turned as she remembered getting sick. "Really Gabi, don’t worry about it." The doctor switched off the ultrasound machine and handed Gabi some kleenex for her tummy. Gabi pushed herself up as the doctor sat down on the stool. "Your body is trying to be pregnant, Gabi. But the fertilized egg is having a hard time getting through the fallopian tube to your uterus." The doctor paused to make sure Gabi was following her. "The pain you are having is your tube trying to push the egg where it is supposed to go." Gabi’s eyes brimmed with tears. "One of two things will happen. The egg will make it to its destination and you will become pregnant or the egg won’t make it in time and you will miscarry." Gabi nodded silently as she held her arms around her stomach. "We just have to let nature take its course. It’s very early in the pregnancy. You’re only about three weeks along." The doctor tried to be reassuring. "Your body will take care of itself. If you have severe, continuous pain, are running a fever or begin bleeding, go straight to the emergency room." She stood and placed her hand on Gabi’s shoulder. "Tell your husband the situation so he is aware of what’s going on and can be there for you." She smiled softly and left the room. Gabi began to sob uncontrollably. She couldn’t tell her husband the situation...her husband isn’t the baby’s father.
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